Title |
The anti-allergic activity of Cymbopogon citratus is mediated via inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (Nf-Κb) activation
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Published in |
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, June 2015
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DOI | 10.1186/s12906-015-0702-8 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Marta Santos Serafim Machado, Hugo Bernardino Ferreira Silva, Raimon Rios, Anaque Pires de Oliveira, Noma Vilany Queiroz Carneiro, Ryan Santos Costa, William Santos Alves, Fabio-Luis Meneses Souza, Eudes da Silva Velozo, Silvana Alves de Souza, Tania Maria Sarmento Silva, Maria Lenise Silva, Lain Carlos Pontes-de-Carvalho, Neuza Maria Alcântara-Neves, Camila Alexandrina Figueiredo |
Abstract |
The prevalence of allergic diseases such as asthma has significantly increased worldwide, making it a public health concern. There is an urgent need for new anti-inflammatory agents with selective pharmacology and lower toxicity. Plant extracts have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to alleviate inflammatory diseases. In this work, we evaluated the anti-allergic activity of Cymbopogon citratus (Cy), a medicinal herb used by folk medicine to treat asthma. We used a murine model of respiratory allergy to the mite Blomia tropicalis (Bt) and evaluated certain parameters known to be altered in this model. A/J mice were sensitized (100 μg/animal s.c.) and challenged (10 μg/animal i.n.) with Bt mite extract and treated with 60, 120 or 180 mg/kg of Cy standardized hexane extract. The parameters evaluated included: cellular infiltrate in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); eosinophil peroxidase activity (EPO); histopathological examination of the lung; serum levels of specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a; Th2 cytokine concentrations in BAL and expression of NF-κB. Our results showed that oral administration of a Cy hexane extract (especially 180 mg/Kg) reduced the numbers of leukocytes/eosinophils in BAL; the eosinophil peroxidase activity in BAL; the infiltration of leukocytes in lung tissue; the production of mucus in the respiratory tract; the level of IL-4 in BAL and the nuclear expression of NF-κB. The results presented demonstrate the potential of the Cy hexane extract to modulate allergic asthma; this extract may be an alternative future approach to treat this pathology. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United States | 1 | 25% |
Brazil | 1 | 25% |
Unknown | 2 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 3 | 75% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 25% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Brazil | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 64 | 98% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Bachelor | 13 | 20% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 10 | 15% |
Researcher | 7 | 11% |
Other | 4 | 6% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 3 | 5% |
Other | 12 | 18% |
Unknown | 16 | 25% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
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Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 13 | 20% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 10 | 15% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 9 | 14% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 5 | 8% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 3 | 5% |
Other | 9 | 14% |
Unknown | 16 | 25% |